Abu Shama was born in Damascus in 1203 CE and spent his entire life there
except for a year in Egypt, two weeks in Jerusalem, and two al-Hidjaz to Mecca
(Hilmy Ahmad in Encyclopedia of Islam v. 1, 1991:150). He became a professor at a
madrassa in Damascus only five years before his death in 1268 CE
(Hilmy Ahmad in Encyclopedia of Islam v. 1, 1991:150). Only five of his works are extant.
The rest are lost Hilmy Ahmad in Encyclopedia of Islam v. 1, (1991:150).
Earthquake accounts appear in The Book of the Two Gardens, Concerning Affairs of the Reigns of Nūr al-Dīn and Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn (Kitab al-Rawdatayn fi Akhbar al-Dawlatayn) and
Sequel to the Two Gardens (Al-Dhayl 'ala 'l-Rawdatayn), a continuation of his text
